Tomlinson, who has two years remaining on his contract, said neither he nor his agent has spoken with the Chargers since the season ended. He has simply read the writing on the wall.

“I just felt like it was over,” Tomlinson said.

All that’s left now is for the breakup to become official, which likely won’t happen for a few weeks.

Tomlinson is due a $2 million roster bonus March 5 and would be paid $5 million in total salary in 2010. As part of the renegotiated contract he signed last March, he is guaranteed $1 million by the Chargers for next season.

Tomlinson said whenever the Chargers do let him go he will search for another team and will “definitely” play next season. The man whose 12,490 career rushing yards rank eighth in NFL history and whose 153 touchdowns rank third believes he can still be a productive rusher.

A trade is highly unlikely for two reasons.

First, any team interested in him would almost certainly not want to pay $5 million for a running back who will be 31 in June and who averaged 3.3 yards per carry in 2009. Also, sources said last year when the sides were reworking Tomlinson’s deal that the Chargers would not trade him out of respect. That is probably still the sentiment within the organization.

Reached out of town yesterday, General Manager A.J. Smith wouldn’t comment directly about Tomlinson’s situation.

“First of all, we haven’t even met on San Diego Chargers players for 2010,” Smith said. “We tentatively will make some decisions on the 4th or 5th of March, unless we have a directive from the league that tells us they’re pushing the date back.”

The 2010 league year begins at 12:01 a.m. EST March 5. With looming labor unrest, there is a possibility that date could be pushed back, but many league sources have said they consider such a move unlikely.

During yesterday’s phone interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune, Tomlinson spoke of his future and his past, pausing several times.

“It’s a mixed feeling,” he said. “It’s mixed emotions. I’ve spent nine years of my life here, pretty much my youth. I gave the organization everything I have. I enjoyed the community.

“But there is a part I won’t miss. The football part is fun. But the business part sucks. I won’t miss that.”

Tomlinson said he doesn’t know when the Chargers will release him. He said his agent might call the team to expedite the process.